My friend MoviePen works at WB. Before lunch today, we wandered around the lot, stood in the ER ambulance bay, and visited the Warner Brothers Museum… of which the entire second floor is dedicated to Harry Potter!

Oh, the geekery!

We were greeted immediately by a headless mannequin sporting Hagrid’s huge overcoat from the first movie. What, is he nine or ten feet tall? Then we saw Viktor Krum’s quidditch outfit, Harry’s closet under the stairs, a petrified (via basilisk) Hermione, Ron’s beloved “R” sweater, and so much more! I was overcome with glee.

The quidditch set was impressive. I so wanted to pluck the golden snitch from its crevice and watch the delicate golden wings unfold.

The Marauder’s Map! Oh, it was glorious. You never see the detail in the movie, but I’m telling you, it’s a masterpiece. A museum keeper pointed out to me how the whomping willow is drawn with just the words “whomping willow” for each of its tendril-branches. Beautiful! I used to study illuminated manuscripts, and this map would have dazzled the monks of old, I promise.

The suitcase full of Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes rocked hard. As did Hermione’s time-twisting necklace with the little hourglass in the middle. Even just the Hogwarts banners and robes made me giggle. Did you know the Goblet of Fire was carved from one piece of wood?

I must admit that I avoided the Sorting Hat and stool. I was intimidated; who wouldn’t be? Everything felt so official… much more so than the online sorting tool. I mean, this hat could actually read your innermost thoughts, right? I heard one visitor sorted into Hufflepuff. I would have been fine with that, though I doubt my work ethic would qualify me.

Eventually, Shelley made me do it.

I sat on the little carved wooden stool. As the museum lady put the Sorting Hat on my head, I found myself whispering “Not Slytherin! Not Slytherin!”

It worked! The hat assigned me to Gryffindor. Just like the kids in the books, I couldn’t stop grinning.